It’s not about being flashy. You don’t need some fancy setup to make it all work (granted some of our community #TeamShadow have insane setups). During a time where we are trying to do right by each other by simply staying in doors, it can be hard to keep your spirits up.
That is no different for us here at Shadow. So, what do we do (besides throw ourselves at our work to make sure we give you the best Shadow possible - wink)? Well, here we incorporate one big thing into our lifestyle: gaming. Doesn’t matter how, but so many of us here surround ourselves with our games of choice, now more than ever. We want to spread some positivity during this time, so here are some of our team’s game setups.
Here we have ourselves a man who believes in hard work ethic, but knows he needs a break from time to time. He’s the “completionist” of Shadow.
We got a chance to talk to him on what he was playing (because he plays a TON of different games - and masters them all): “I’m playing Dragon Ball Z Fighters (loving season 3 updates), a ton of Borderlands 3 (a new DLC just dropped), and just beat Doom Eternal on ultra violence.”
But for a lot of us here, gaming is a way to keep calm and collected. “I usually play a lot in the afternoon and a little when I wake up. I had to stop drinking coffee and video games like Gungeon force you to fight through the exhaustion.” As you can see, here at Shadow, we use video games as a natural caffeine (we also use coffee, lots and lots of coffee).
First, we have a man who enjoys the advances of the new with the nostalgia of the old.
Let’s start with the standard: we got ourselves an Xbox One that he says is still used primarily for Netflix (bold choice). Cyrus is currently obsessed with Borderlands 3 (who isn’t) as well as playing the remastered Spyro trilogy.
But past the current generation console is where we get to the meat of this man’s gaming culture. We start with his Xbox 360 which he says is primarily used for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (which he argues in the best of the series) and Call of Duty: World at War. But it’s at the PlayStation 2 that we get to the heart of Cyrus’ quarantine gaming career. He is currently replaying both the Ratchet & Clank franchise as well as the Jak & Daxter franchise (he would tell you this is the greatest franchise ever made). On top of that he’ll bring in some Star Wars: Battlefront II and most recently we have one of the greatest co-op games to ever be put into existence - Gauntlet: Dark Legacy.
With all these games in backlog, Cyrus says he will be able to make the most out of his time in confinement.
Now to show our amazing support team some love with our Shadow queen Aimee (not a trademarked name - we just made it up)! She uses Shadow Ghost for work almost every day (it’s nice working on a product you love).
Aimee says, “I only start gaming when I'm off of work, and lately, I find myself more interested in Sims than ever (with mods, of course). Something about social simulation and creativity that really puts my mind at ease. I may pick FFXIV back up for that reason.” If you ever got a chance to play with modded Sims, you definitely understand what she means. And Final Fantasy… do we even need to get started on that franchise.
Now this is someone many of you reading this already know: our lovely Community Manager - Mr. Ryan (he doesn’t go by Mr. but what he doesn’t know wont hurt him haha). As you can see below, Ryan is a streamer at heart (even has the soundproofing foam to prove it).
Ryan “started and finished Borderlands 3 for the first time. Playing a run n' gun style build as the Siren character Amara. Working on my Jungle game in LoL, recently getting Mastery 7 on Jarvan IV too!” As you can see, we have a lot of Borderlands fans (as well we should - amazing franchise).
Also, pretty much the vast majority of us here at Shadow use League of Legends to stay sane. But hey, it’s how we stay connected. There’s nothing better than coming online and making a Shadow squad of 5 to chat about the day. :)
It is only fitting that the man with all the controllers is our happy-go-lucky, swagger-walking Ari. Ari enjoys long walks along the beach, something he cannot do at the moment. So, to keep joyous during this time, he put more of his focus into gaming.
At the moment, Ari explains, “I’ve been playing Dark Souls for the past several days, to remind me how my life is easy and convenient compared to being stuck in the catacombs with no more estus flasks.” You know you’re being engrossed in a game when your jokes start revolving around it.
Also, he would like to update everyone that he is “still the best Cassiopeia player in Iron.” We can confirm that this is not the case.
As we believe in collaboration at Shadow, Arnaud believes in co-op games while stuck at home. That and infinite figurines (which we appreciate heavily).
On top of being surrounded by a plethora of culture, Arnaud has also been using gaming heavily during confinement. He has been having the most fun with co-op games, including “Left 4 Dead 2, Road Redemption on story mode with the Steam Remote Play Together, Sea of Thieves, Dead by Daylight, and For the King.”
But our loveable Arnaud doesn’t only limit himself to just co-op games. “I am also finishing Ori and the Will of the Wisps but this one is a solo game.”
If you haven’t got a chance to play any of the Left 4 Dead games, please go try them out. They are some of the most fun you can have. Also, Ori is probably one of the most beautiful games out there.
Right now, we are all dealing with a time that can be demoralizing, where we feel more alone than ever. And that’s why this is the perfect time to actively keep your spirits up.
We here at Shadow use gaming to enjoy our time in confinement and to stay connected when we need it the most. So, play a game with a friend. Make some new ones online. Or play some of the games you know you have been saying you “will get to eventually” but never have. Now’s the time. Keep positive. It’s worth it.
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